Full catalyst, production thereof, and use thereof in an ammoxidation process

Abstract

Catalysts comprising: (a) a support material comprising a component selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, thorium dioxide, silicon carbide, and mixtures thereof; and (b) an active material comprising a mixture of vanadium (V) and antimony (Sb) and tungsten (W) and/or molybdenum (Mo), and optionally, at least one alkali metal, wherein the vanadium, antimony, tungsten and/or molybdenum and at least one alkali metal are each present in oxidic form; wherein the support material is provided in a form selected from the group of shapes consisting of spherical or approximately spherical and having a diameter of 2 to 10 mm, tubular or rod-shaped and having a diameter of 1 to 10 mm and a length of 2 to 20 mm, granular having a maximum diameter of 2 to 20 mm, and combinations thereof; and wherein the catalyst is diluted with an inert material; along with processes for preparing such catalysts and their use in preparing nitriles via gas phase ammonoxidation.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
   
   
       31 . A catalyst comprising:
 (a) a support material comprising a component selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, thorium dioxide, silicon carbide, and mixtures thereof; and   (b) an active material comprising a mixture, the mixture consisting of vanadium (V) and antimony (Sb) and tungsten (W) and at least one alkali metal, wherein the vanadium, antimony, tungsten and at least one alkali metal are each present in oxidic form;   wherein the support material is provided in a form selected from the group of shapes consisting of spherical or approximately spherical and having a diameter of 2 to 10 mm, tubular or rod-shaped and having a diameter of 1 to 10 mm and a length of 2 to 20 mm, granular having a maximum diameter of 2 to 20 mm, and combinations thereof; and wherein the catalyst is diluted with an inert material.   
   
   
       32 . The catalyst according to  claim 31 , wherein the support material is provided in a form selected from the group of shapes consisting of spherical or approximately spherical and having a diameter of 2.5 to 8 mm, tubular or rod-shaped and having a diameter of 2 to 8 mm and a length of 3 to 18 mm, granular having a maximum diameter of 3 to 18 mm, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       33 . The catalyst according to  claim 31 , wherein the support material is provided in a tubular form having an internal diameter of 1 to 7 mm, an external diameter of 2 to 8 mm and a tube length of 2 to 8 mm. 
   
   
       34 . The catalyst according to  claim 31 , wherein the support material is provided in a tubular form having an internal diameter of 2 to 6 mm, an external diameter of 3 to 7 mm and a tube length of 3 to 7 mm. 
   
   
       35 . The catalyst according to  claim 31 , wherein the at least one alkali metal is selected from cesium (Cs), rubidium (Rb), and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       36 . The catalyst according to  claim 31 , wherein the vanadium and antimony are each present in an amount of 0.5 to 50% by weight, calculated as metal and based on the catalyst. 
   
   
       37 . The catalyst according to  claim 35 , wherein the at least one alkali metal is present in an amount of 0.01 to 5% by weight, calculated as metal and based on the catalyst. 
   
   
       38 . The catalyst according to  claim 31 , wherein the tungsten is present in an amount of 0.05 to 12% by weight, calculated as metal and based on the catalyst. 
   
   
       39 . The catalyst according to  claim 31 , wherein the active material is present in an amount of 1 to 50% by weight based on the catalyst. 
   
   
       40 . A process for preparing a catalyst, the process comprising:
 (a) providing a support material in a form selected from the group of shapes consisting of spherical or approximately spherical and having a diameter of 2 to 10 mm, tubular or rod-shaped and having a diameter of 1 to 10 mm and a length of 2 to 20 mm, granular having a maximum diameter of 2 to 20 mm, and combinations thereof, and wherein the support material comprises a component selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, thorium dioxide, silicon carbide, and mixtures thereof;   (b) impregnating the support material with a solution or suspension comprising a vanadium compound, an antimony compound and a compound selected from tungsten compounds, molybdenum compounds and mixtures thereof; and   (c) drying and calcining under oxidizing conditions the impregnated support material.   
   
   
       41 . The process according to  claim 40 , wherein the vanadium compound is selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a tartrate, an oxalate, an acetate, a nitrate, a vanadate, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       42 . The process according to  claim 40 , wherein the antimony compound is selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a tartrate, an oxalate, an acetate, a antimonate, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       43 . The process according to  claim 40 , wherein the solution or suspension comprises a tungsten compound selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a tungstate, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       44 . The process according to  claim 40 , wherein the solution or suspension further comprises at least one alkali metal selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrates, carbonates, hydroxides, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       45 . The process according to  claim 40 , wherein the calcining is carried out in the presence of oxygen at a temperature of 400 to 750° C. 
   
   
       46 . A process for preparing a nitrile, the process comprising:
 (a) providing an isoaromatic or heteroaromatic alkyl compound; and   (h) ammonoxidating the alkyl compound in a reactor with a gas comprising oxygen and ammonia in the presence of a catalyst according to  claim 31 .   
   
   
       47 . The process according to  claim 46 , wherein ammonoxidating is carried out at a temperature of 300 to 550° C. 
   
   
       48 . The process according to  claim 46 , wherein oxygen is present in the gas in an amount of 0.1 to 25% by volume. 
   
   
       49 . The process according to  claim 46 , wherein the catalyst is arranged in the reactor as a fixed bed. 
   
   
       50 . The process according to  claim 46 , wherein the catalyst is diluted with an inert material.